Fushigi Yuugi Physics
by Aoi Akiko
Summary: So, you think you're a Physics expert? Let's have you try some questions using FY logic...


It's been too long since I've returned to and it's beginning to show… This was born of an idle mind due to too much thinking but not much thought… Let me know if you understood that sentence, much less the rest of this oddness…

_Fushigi Yuugi _not mine. Twisted exam paper mine. Go figure…

ps: please do not attempt any of these questions unless you're really, really, REALLY out of things to do (there are no answers, because my professor's ebil)… my only reason for transforming these questions were because I could not bear another MINUTE staring at my textbook of nonsensical facts and figures…

(space)

**_Fushigi Yuugi _Physics Paper (Year 1, Semester 2)**

Paper set in accordance to events occurring in the series. All numbers associated are illusionary due to the nature of The Universe of Four Gods. Really, do you think this would reflect the real world?!

Each question awarded 10 marks.

**Section B**

Please answer all questions in a separate booklet.

**Question 1 **(on kinematics)

Nuriko is the strongest of the _Suzaku shichiseishi_. He lifted an 800 kg boulder and crushed shadow-mirror Miaka, who was standing 15 m below the cliff Nuriko was standing upon. Using standard constants, calculate

(a) The gravitational potential energy in the boulder.

(b) The kinetic energy in the boulder. During its drop, where would the kinetic energy on the boulder be maximum?

(c) The speed at which the boulder landed on shadow-mirror Miaka.

(d) If the boulder had landed on shadow-mirror Miaka and crushed her in 0.3 s, calculate the impact on shadow-mirror Miaka.

**Question 2 **(on wave theory)

Amiboshi of the _Seiryuu shichiseishi_ uses his powers as a flutist as a weapon, thus relies heavily on the properties of sound waves.

(a) Explain how placing his fingers differently on the holes of his flute can create different sounds.

(b) To gain the _Suzaku shichiseishi_'s trust, Amiboshi was sent to kill on of the Kutou spies accompanying him. Though he was far away and the volume of his song was faded at best, he managed to kill the aforementioned spy with very high notes. Explain what properties Amiboshi used to perform this task.

(c) Using the same flute, Amiboshi is able to bring comfot to those around him. Assuming the human ear is approximately 2.5 cm long, Calculate the frequencies in which his songs would be deemed pleasant. Relatively speaking, was the frequency used in (b) higher or lower than this range?

**Question 3** (on fluid density, buoyancy and pressure)

Wallowing in her depression, Miaka decided to end her life by drowning herself in the lake. Hotohori found her shoe floating in the water, deduced her actions and dove into the water to rescue her.

(a) Miaka's show was made of rubber and leather. Both materials have a higher density compared to water, yet it could still float. Explain how this is possible. If she was wearing tap-shoes with metal soles attached, would the shoe still have floated?

(b) Hotohori's robes, made out of silk, weighted him down. He began praying to _Suzaku_ for strength, before calling out Miaka's name. Explain why calling out for Miaka (besides her being the most useless _miko_ in existence)(--;;) while underwater was a foolish thing to do.

(c) On the other hand, if Hotohori had been robeless (drools), explain why it would be wise for him to exhale as he rises from the depths to the surface.

**Question 4** (on thermodynamics)

Tasuki wields his infamous _tessen_, made out of diamond. With an incantation of _Rekka Shien_, he is able to shoot fire out of the _tessen_ and burn anything around him. His _tessen_ handle is bound in leather, and is kept in a leather holster.

(a) Explain why, theoretically, diamond should not be able to conduct enough heat to spout fire.

(b) Ignoring the explanation given in (a) — really, this is _FUSHIGI YUUGI_ we're talking about…!! — explain why on the other hand, Tasuki's idea of using leather is plausible.

(c) The _tessen_ weighs 16 kg – though it magically changes its weight so that Tasuki may use it easily (either that or there's another Nuriko among the _Suzaku shichiseishi_…). When Tasuki uses it, the temperature changes drastically from room temperature to 500°C in 2.3 s. Given the heat capacity of the _tessen_ is 420 kJkg-1°C-1, calculate the total heat power his _tessen_ weilds in one attack.

**Question 5** (on radioactivity)

Upon closer investigation, modern scientist have found that the drug _Kodoku_ is actually a radioactive substance. It undergoes alpha decay and has a half-life of 40 minutes. Each alpha particle gives out 5.30 MeV of kinetic energy.

(a) A pellet containing _Kodoku_ is placed near a radiation counter which registers 2.00 e3 counts in 20.0 s. The counter can only pick up 5 of the emitted alpha particles. Calculate the activity of the pellet, in Bq.

(b) The pellet is given to its victim, let's say Tamahome, who weighs 76 kg (when not starved or glomped by Miaka or fried by Tasuki, which would decrease his weight). Assuming that all the emitted alpha particles were absorbed for it to take effect, calculate the does he received, in Gy, if he slept for 8 hours under exposure.

(c) Calculate this equivalent in Sv, given the biological factor is 3.44.

(d) In theory, should Tamahome have survived? (ye-ah, we're ignoring the fact that he's a _Suzaku shichiseishi_ after all…)

(e) Yui stayed by Tamahome's side as he slept, yet she was not affected by the _Kodoku_ poison, though it was radioactive. Explain.

**Question 6** (on electricity)

During the trip to Hokkan, Soi attacked the _Suzaku shichiseishi_ with her lightning.

(a) In physics terms, explain why the lightning struck the ship's mast more often than any other part of the ship.

(b) Tamahome fell into the water and was electrocuted by Soi's lightning. Tamahome himself has an internal resistance of 3.40 e2 ohms. Soi's lightning has the voltage potential of 850 V.

(i) Calculate the current flowing through Tamahome's body.

(ii) Recalling the thresholds for current – should Tamahome have survived the attack?

(iii) What is the total power in Soi's lightning?

(c) Soi appeared before the _Suzaku shichiseishi_ in hopes of destroying them. Miaka stands up to her with Hotohori's holy sword. Tasuki and Tamahome yell, saying Miaka is suicidal. Why did they say Miaka was suicidal? (like we really need the _miko_ anyway…)

(d) Miaka redirected the lightning absorbed to Soi, who was wearing a warrior's armour lined with platinum. Soi survived the attack, though she was hurt. Explain why her armour lined in platinum was a good choice for a lightning-_seishi_. If the armour was made out of copper, but hollowed out in the middle to resemble a parallel plate capacitor, would Soi still have survived the attack? Explain.

**This is the end of Section B. **

(space)

(bleh) I don't like Physics...


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